Semiconductor device and method of forming the same

ABSTRACT

An embodiment method includes: forming a dielectric-containing substrate over a semiconductor substrate; forming a stack of first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over the dielectric-containing substrate, wherein the first semiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers have different material compositions and alternate with one another within the stack; patterning the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layers into a fin structure such that the fin structure includes sacrificial layers including the second semiconductor layers and channel layers including the first semiconductor layers; forming source/drain features adjacent to the sacrificial layers and the channel layers; removing the sacrificial layers of the fin structure so that the channel layers of the fin structure are exposed; and forming a gate structure around the exposed channel layers, wherein the dielectric-containing substrate is interposed between the gate structure and the semiconductor substrate.

PRIORITY DATA

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/906,287, filed Sep. 26, 2019 and entitled “Structure andMethod for Semiconductor Devices,” which application is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technologyprocess nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance,and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design issues haveresulted in the development of three-dimensional designs, such as amulti-gate field effect transistor (FET), including a fin-like FET(FinFET) and a gate-all-around (GAA) FET. In a FinFET device, a gateelectrode is adjacent to three side surfaces (e.g. vertical sidewallsand a top surface) of a channel region, with a gate dielectric layerinterposed therebetween. Because the gate structure surrounds (wraps)the fin on three surfaces, the transistor essentially has three gatescontrolling the current through the fin or channel region. The fourthside, namely the bottom part of the channel, is essentially not undergate control. In contrast, in a GAA FET, semiconductor layers of thechannel region are surrounded on all sides by the gate electrode, whichallows for fuller depletion in the channel region, thereby resulting inless short-channel effects due to steeper sub-threshold current swingand smaller drain induced barrier lowering. As transistor dimensions arecontinually scaled down, further improvements of the GAA FET arerequired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is best understood from the following detaileddescription when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasizedthat, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, variousfeatures are not drawn to scale and are used for illustration purposesonly. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarilyincreased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

FIGS. 1 to 22C show exemplary sequential processes for manufacturing agate-all-around (GAA) field effect transistor (FET) device, according toan embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 23A to 23C show a GAA FET device, according to another embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 24 shows a process flow illustrating a method of manufacturing aGAA FET device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, orexamples, for implementing different features of the provided subjectmatter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are describedbelow to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merelyexamples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formationof a first feature over or on a second feature in the description thatfollows may include embodiments in which the first and second featuresare formed in direct contact and may also include embodiments in whichadditional features may be formed between the first and second features,such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Inaddition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/orletters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose ofsimplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationshipbetween the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/orletters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose ofsimplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationshipbetween the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.Moreover, the formation of a feature on, connected to, and/or coupled toanother feature in the present disclosure that follows may includeembodiments in which the features are formed in direct contact, and mayalso include embodiments in which additional features may be formedinterposing the features, such that the features may not be in directcontact. In addition, spatially relative terms, for example, “lower,”“upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “over,” “below,” “beneath,”“up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” etc. as well as derivatives thereof(e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) are used for easeof the present disclosure of one features relationship to anotherfeature. The spatially relative terms are intended to cover differentorientations of the device including the features. Still further, when anumber or a range of numbers is described with “about,” “approximate,”and the like, the term is intended to encompass numbers that are withina reasonable range including the number described, such as within +/−10%of the number described or other values as understood by person skilledin the art. For example, the term “about 5 nm” encompasses the dimensionrange from 4.5 nm to 5.5 nm.

The present disclosure is directed to, but not otherwise limited to, amulti-gate field effect transistor (FET), an example being agate-all-around (GAA) FET. In a GAA FET, a plurality of semiconductorchannel layers are vertically suspended over an underlying semiconductorsubstrate. A gate structure (including a gate electrode layer and a gatedielectric layer) is formed in the space between vertically adjacentsemiconductor channel layers. Embodiments of the present disclosureprovide for at least one insulating layer that is interposed between thebottommost gate structure and the underlying semiconductor substrate,where the bottommost gate structure is the gate structure in closestproximity to the underlying semiconductor substrate. The presence of theat least one insulating layer between the bottommost gate structure andthe underlying semiconductor substrate reduces leakage current in theGAA FET, minimizes a size of a parasitic PN junction between thesemiconductor substrate and the source/drain regions of the GAA FET, andimproves the I_(ON)/I_(OFF) ratio of the GAA FET.

FIGS. 1 to 22C show exemplary sequential processes for manufacturing theGAA FET device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Itis understood that additional operations can be provided before, during,and after processes shown by FIGS. 1 to 22C, and some of the operationsdescribed below can be replaced or eliminated, for additionalembodiments of the method. The order of the operations/processes may beinterchangeable.

FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor substrate 10 subjected to animplantation process, whereby impurity ions 12 (also referred to as“dopants”) are implanted into the semiconductor substrate 10 to form awell region. The well region may be an N-well region or a P-well region.The ion implantation may be performed to prevent a punch-through effect.In one embodiment, semiconductor substrate 10 includes a singlecrystalline semiconductor layer on at least a surface portion. Thesemiconductor substrate 10 may include a single crystallinesemiconductor material such as, but not limited to Si, Ge, SiGe, GaAs,InSb, GaP, GaSb, InAlAs, InGaAs, GaSbP, GaAsSb and InP. In thisembodiment, the semiconductor substrate 10 includes Si.

The semiconductor substrate 10 may include one or more buffer layers(not shown) in its surface region. The buffer layers can serve togradually change the lattice constant from that of the semiconductorsubstrate to that of the source/drain regions. The buffer layers may beformed from epitaxially grown single crystalline semiconductor materialssuch as (but not limited to) Si, Ge, GeSn, SiGe, GaAs, InSb, GaP, GaSb,InAlAs, InGaAs, GaSbP, GaAsSb, GaN, GaP, and InP. In a particularembodiment, the semiconductor substrate 10 includes silicon germanium(SiGe) buffer layers epitaxially grown on the semiconductor substrate10. The germanium concentration of the SiGe buffer layers may increasefrom 30 atomic % germanium for the bottom-most buffer layer to 70 atomic% germanium for the top-most buffer layer. The semiconductor substrate10 may include various regions that have been suitably doped withimpurities (e.g., p-type or n-type conductivity). The dopants 12 are,for example boron (BF₂) for an n-type Fin FET and phosphorus (P) for ap-type Fin FET.

In FIG. 2, an insulating layer 14 is formed over (e.g., directly on) thesemiconductor substrate 10. The insulating layer 14 includes, or may be,an electrically-insulative material, examples being silicon oxide,silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride (SiON), SiOCN, SiCN, fluorine-dopedsilicate glass (FSG), or a low-K dielectric material. The insulatinglayer 14 is formed over the semiconductor substrate 10 by LPCVD (lowpressure chemical vapor deposition), plasma-CVD or flowable CVD.

In FIG. 3, a semiconductor-containing layer 16 is formed over (e.g.,directly on) the insulating layer 14. The semiconductor-containing layer16 may have a composition that is different from the insulating layer14. As an example, the semiconductor-containing layer 16 may be asemiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate (e.g., a fully-depleted SOIsubstrate or a partially-depleted SOI substrate) including a layer of asemiconductor material (e.g., silicon) formed on an insulator layer. Theinsulator layer of the semiconductor-containing layer 16 may, forexample, be a buried oxide (BOX) layer, a silicon oxide layer, or thelike. The semiconductor material of the semiconductor-containing layer16 may be undoped in some embodiments. In other embodiments, however,the semiconductor material may be doped to have a conductivity type thatis different from channel layers that are subsequently formed over thesemiconductor-containing layer 16 (e.g. second semiconductor layers 25described below in reference to FIG. 4). In some embodiments, athickness T1 of the semiconductor-containing layer 16 (e.g., as measuredin the Z direction) may be in a range from about 0.4 times the gatelength of the transistor device to about 0.6 times the gate length ofthe transistor device (e.g. about 0.5 times the gate length of thetransistor device). The gate length is illustrated in FIG. 9 as lengthLG. As an example, the thickness T1 of the semiconductor-containinglayer 16 may be in a range from about 3 nanometers to about 7 nanometers(e.g. about 5 nanometers) in order to achieve high device performance,such as higher current and higher current speed.

In FIG. 4, a stack of semiconductor layers is formed over thesemiconductor-containing layer 16 in an interleaving or alternatingfashion. The stack of semiconductor layers extend vertically (e.g. alongthe Z direction) from the semiconductor-containing layer 16. Forexample, a first semiconductor layer 20 is disposed over thesemiconductor-containing layer 16, a second semiconductor layer 25 isdisposed over the first semiconductor layer 20, another firstsemiconductor layer 20 is disposed over the second semiconductor layer25, and so on and so forth. Further, a mask layer 15 is formed over thestacked layers. The first semiconductor layers 20 and the secondsemiconductor layers 25 include materials having different latticeconstants, and may include one or more layers of Si, Ge, SiGe, GaAs,InSb, GaP, GaSb, InAlAs, InGaAs, GaSbP, GaAsSb or InP.

In some embodiments, the first semiconductor layers 20 and the secondsemiconductor layers 25 include Si, a Si compound, SiGe, Ge, or a Gecompound. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor layers 20 includeSi_((1-x))Ge_(x), where x is more than about 0.3. For example, whenx=1.0, the first semiconductor layers 20 includes Ge. The secondsemiconductor layers 25 includes Si or Si_((1-y))Ge_(y), where y is lessthan about 0.4, and x>y.

In another embodiment, the second semiconductor layers 25 includesSi_((1-y))Ge_(y), where y is more than about 0.3, and in such anembodiment, the first semiconductor layers 20 include Si orSi_((1-x))Ge_(x), where x is less than about 0.4, and x<y. In yet otherembodiments, the first semiconductor layer 20 includes Si_((1-x))Ge_(x),where x is in a range from about 0.3 to about 0.8, and the secondsemiconductor layer 25 includes Si_((1-x))Ge_(x), where x is in a rangefrom about 0.1 to about 0.4.

In FIG. 4, five layers of the first semiconductor layer 20 and fivelayers of the second semiconductor layer 25 are shown. However, thenumber of first semiconductor layers 20 and/or the number of secondsemiconductor layers 25 are not limited to five and may be as small as 1and, in some embodiments, 2 to 10 layers of each of the first and secondsemiconductor layers. It is noted that the first semiconductor layers 20are sacrificial layers which are subsequently partially removed, and thesecond semiconductor layers 25 are subsequently formed into channellayers of a GAA FET. By adjusting the numbers of the stacked layers, adriving current of the GAA FET device can be adjusted. It is once againnoted that in some embodiments, the second semiconductor layers 25 maybe doped to have a conductivity type that is different from thesemiconductor material of the underlying semiconductor-containingsubstrate 16.

The bottom first semiconductor layer 20 (e.g., the first semiconductorlayer 20 closest to the semiconductor-containing layer 16 in the Zdirection and/or in physical contact with the semiconductor-containinglayer 16) is epitaxially formed over the semiconductor-containing layer16. The bottom second semiconductor layer 25 (e.g., the secondsemiconductor layer 25 closest to the bottom first semiconductor layer20 in the Z direction and/or in physical contact with the bottom firstsemiconductor layer 20) is epitaxially formed over the bottom firstsemiconductor layer 20. This epitaxial process is repeated to form thestacked semiconductor layers 20, 25 shown in FIG. 4. The thickness ofeach of the first semiconductor layers 20 may be the same or may vary.The thickness of the first semiconductor layers 20 may be equal to orgreater than that of the second semiconductor layers 25. In someembodiments, the thickness of each of the first semiconductor layers 20is in a range from about 5 nm to about 50 nm. In other embodiments, thethickness of each of the first semiconductor layers 20 is in a rangefrom about 10 nm to about 30 nm. The thickness of the secondsemiconductor layers 25 is in a range from about 5 nm to about 30 nm insome embodiments and is in a range from about 10 nm to about 20 nm inother embodiments. In some embodiments, the bottom first semiconductorlayer 20 is thicker than the remaining first semiconductor layers 20. Insuch embodiments, the thickness of the bottom first semiconductor layer20 is in a range from about 10 nm to about 50 nm (e.g. in a range fromabout 20 nm to about 40 nm).

In some embodiments, the mask layer 15 includes a first mask layer 15Aand a second mask layer 15B. The first mask layer 15A may be a pad oxidelayer including silicon oxide, which may be formed by a thermaloxidation. The second mask layer 15B may include a material differentfrom the first mask layer 15A. As an example, the second mask layer 15Bmay include silicon nitride (SiN), which may be formed by chemical vapordeposition (CVD), low pressure CVD (LPCVD), plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD),physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or othersuitable process. The mask layer 15 is patterned using patterningoperations including photo-lithography and etching. It is noted that insome embodiments, at least one of the first mask layer 15A or the secondmask layer 15B may include a light-absorbing material.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the stacked layers of the first and secondsemiconductor layers 20, 25 are patterned. As an example, the mask layer15 is patterned thereby forming a patterned mask layer 15′. The patternof the patterned mask layer 15′ is subsequently transferred to thestacked layers of the first and second semiconductor layers 20, 25,thereby forming fin structures 30 extending longitudinally in the Xdirection. In some embodiments, an anisotropic etching process is usedto form the fin structures 30. In the example of FIG. 5, the finstructures 30 are separated from each other laterally in the Ydirection. It is noted that the number of the fin structures is notlimited to two and may be as small as one or may be three or more. Insome embodiments, one or more dummy fin structures are formed on one orboth sides of the fin structures 30 to improve pattern fidelity in thepatterning operations.

As shown in FIG. 5, the fin structures 30 have portions formed by thestacked semiconductor layers 20, 25, the patternedsemiconductor-containing layer 16′, the patterned insulating layer 14′,and the well portions 10′. It is noted that the well portions 10′ areformed by patterning the semiconductor substrate 10 (e.g., bytransferring the pattern of the patterned mask layer 15′ to thesemiconductor substrate 10). A width W1 of an upper portion of the finstructure 30 (e.g., measured along the Y direction) may be in a rangefrom about 10 nm to about 40 nm (e.g., in a range from about 20 nm toabout 30 nm). A height H1 of the fin structure 30 (e.g., measured alongthe Z direction) may be in a range from about 100 nm to about 200 nm.

Referring to FIG. 6, after the fin structures 30 are formed, aninsulating material layer 41 (e.g., including one or more layers ofinsulating material) is formed over the semiconductor substrate 10 sothat the fin structures 30 are embedded in the insulating layer 41. Thematerial of the insulating layer 41 may include silicon oxide, siliconnitride, silicon oxynitride (SiON), SiOCN, SiCN, fluorine-doped silicateglass (FSG), or a low-K dielectric material, formed by LPCVD (lowpressure chemical vapor deposition), plasma-CVD or flowable CVD (e.g.global CVD). One or more anneal operations may be performed afterforming the insulating layer 41 (e.g. to drive out free carbon and/orfree nitrogen present in the material of the insulating layer 41).Subsequently, a planarization operation, such as a chemical mechanicalpolishing (CMP) process and/or an etch-back method, is performed suchthat the upper surface of the uppermost second semiconductor layer 25 isexposed, as shown in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, a first liner layer 35is formed over the structure of FIG. 5 before forming the insulatingmaterial layer 41. The first liner layer 35 includes SiN or a siliconnitride-based material (e.g., SiON, SiCN, or SiOCN).

Referring to FIG. 7, the insulating material layer 41 is subsequentlyrecessed to form an isolation insulating layer 40 so that upper portionsof the fin structures 30 are exposed. With this operation, the finstructures 30 are electrically separated from each other by theisolation insulating layer 40, which may also be referred to as ashallow trench isolation (STI). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, theinsulating material layer 41 is recessed until the bottommost firstsemiconductor layer 20 is exposed. In other embodiments, at least theupper portion of the patterned semiconductor-containing layer 16′ isalso exposed. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the first liner layer 35is also recessed in order to expose the upper portions of the finstructures 30.

After the isolation insulating layer 40 is formed, a sacrificial gatedielectric layer 52 is formed, as shown in FIG. 8. The sacrificial gatedielectric layer 52 may be a conformal layer and may include one or morelayers of insulating material, such as a silicon oxide-based material.In one embodiment, the sacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 includessilicon oxide, which may be formed by CVD. The thickness of thesacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 may be in a range from about 1 nmto about 5 nm in some embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a structure after a sacrificial gate structure 50 isformed over the fin structures 30. The sacrificial gate structure 50includes a sacrificial gate electrode 54 and the sacrificial gatedielectric layer 52. The sacrificial gate structure 50 is formed over aportion of the fin structure which is to be a channel region. Thesacrificial gate structure 50 defines the channel region of the GAA FET.The gate length described above in relation to the thickness T1 of thesemiconductor-containing layer 16′ is shown in FIG. 9 as length LG.

The sacrificial gate structure 50 is formed by first blanket depositingthe sacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 over the fin structures, asshown in FIG. 8. A sacrificial gate electrode layer 54 is then blanketdeposited on the sacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 and over the finstructures 30, such that the fin structures 30 are fully embedded in thesacrificial gate electrode layer 54. The sacrificial gate electrodelayer 54 includes silicon, for example polycrystalline silicon oramorphous silicon. The thickness of the sacrificial gate electrode layer54 may be in a range from about 100 nm to about 200 nm in someembodiments. In some embodiments, the sacrificial gate electrode layer54 is subjected to a planarization operation. The sacrificial gatedielectric layer 52 and the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54 aredeposited using CVD, including LPCVD and PECVD, PVD, ALD, or othersuitable process. Subsequently, a mask layer is formed over thesacrificial gate electrode layer 54. The mask layer includes a pad SiNlayer 56 and a silicon oxide mask layer 58 disposed over the pad SiNlayer 56.

Next, a patterning operation is performed on the mask layer. The patternof the mask layer is transferred to the sacrificial gate electrode layer54 to form the sacrificial gate structure 50, as shown in FIG. 9. Thesacrificial gate structure 50 includes the sacrificial gate dielectriclayer 52, the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54 (e.g., poly silicon),the pad SiN layer 56, and the silicon oxide mask layer 58. By patterningthe sacrificial gate structure, the stacked layers of the first andsecond semiconductor layers are partially exposed on opposite sides ofthe sacrificial gate structure 50, thereby defining source/drain (S/D)regions, as shown in FIG. 9. In this disclosure, the terms “source” and“drain” are interchangeably used and the structures thereof aresubstantially the same. In FIG. 9, one sacrificial gate structure isformed, but the number of the sacrificial gate structures is not limitedto one. Two or more sacrificial gate structures are arranged in the Xdirection in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, one or more dummysacrificial gate structures are formed on both sides of the sacrificialgate structures to improve pattern fidelity.

After the sacrificial gate structure is formed, a blanket layer 53 of aninsulating material is conformally formed by using CVD or other suitablemethods, as shown in FIG. 10. The blanket layer 53 is subsequentlypatterned to form sidewall spacers 55 (see FIG. 11A, 11C). The blanketlayer 53 is deposited in a conformal manner so that it is formed to havesubstantially equal thicknesses on vertical surfaces, such as thesidewalls, horizontal surfaces, and the top of the sacrificial gatestructure 50. In some embodiments, the blanket layer 53 is deposited tohave a thickness in a range from about 2 nm to about 10 nm. In oneembodiment, the insulating material of the blanket layer 53 is a siliconnitride-based material, such as SiN, SiON, SiOCN or SiCN andcombinations thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, sidewall spacers 55 are formed on oppositesidewalls of the sacrificial gate structure 50, and subsequently, thefin structures of the S/D regions are recessed down below the uppersurface of the isolation insulating layer 40. FIG. 11B is thecross-sectional view corresponding to area A1 and line X1-X1 of FIG.11A, and FIG. 11C is the cross-sectional view corresponding to lineY1-Y1 of FIG. 11A. In FIG. 11B, the cross section of the bottom part ofsacrificial gate structure 50 is illustrated.

After the blanket layer 53 is formed (e.g. as shown in FIG. 10), etching(e.g. anisotropic etching) is performed on the blanket layer 53 using,for example, reactive ion etching (RIE). During the etching process,most of the insulating material is removed from horizontal surfaces,leaving the dielectric spacer layer on the vertical surfaces such as thesidewalls of the sacrificial gate structure 50 and the sidewalls of theexposed fin structures. The mask layer 58 may be exposed from thesidewall spacers. In some embodiments, isotropic etching may beperformed to remove the insulating material from the upper portions ofthe S/D region of the exposed fin structures 30.

Subsequently, the fin structures of the S/D regions are recessed downbelow the upper surface of the isolation insulating layer 40, by usingdry etching and/or wet etching. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11C, thesidewall spacers 55 formed on the S/D regions of the exposed finstructures partially remain. In other embodiments, however, the sidewallspacers 55 formed on the S/D regions of the exposed fin structures arefully removed. At this stage, end portions of the stacked layer of thefirst and second semiconductor layers 20, 25 under the sacrificial gatestructure 50 have substantially flat faces which are flush with thesidewall spacers 55, as shown in FIG. 11B. In some embodiments, the endportions of the stacked layer of the first and second semiconductorlayers 20, 25 are slightly horizontally etched.

Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 12A-12C, the first semiconductor layers20 are horizontally recessed (e.g. etched) so that edges of the firstsemiconductor layers 20 are located substantially below a side face ofthe sacrificial gate electrode layer 54. As shown in FIG. 12B, endportions (e.g. edges) of the first semiconductor layers 20 under thesacrificial gate structure are substantially aligned with the side facesof the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54.

During the recess etching of the first semiconductor layers 20 and/orthe recess etching of the first and second semiconductor layers asdescribed with FIGS. 11A-11C, end portions of the second semiconductorlayers 25 are also horizontally etched, as shown in FIG. 12B. Therecessed amount of the first semiconductor layers 20 is greater than therecessed amount of the second semiconductor layers 25.

The depth D1 of the recessing of the first semiconductor layers 20 fromthe plane including one sidewall spacer is in a range from about 5 nm toabout 10 nm, the depth D2 of the recessing of the second semiconductorlayers 25 from the plane including one sidewall spacer is in a rangefrom about 1 nm to about 4 nm, in some embodiments. The difference D3 ofthe depth D1 and the depth D2 is in a range from about 1 nm to about 9nm, in some embodiments. It is noted that in certain embodiments, theetching (horizontally recessing) the first and second semiconductorlayers is not performed. In other embodiments, the amounts of etching ofthe first and second semiconductor layers are substantially the same(difference is less than about 0.5 nm).

After the first semiconductor layers 20 are horizontally recessed, aninner spacer 69 is formed on the recessed surfaces of the firstsemiconductor layers 20, as shown in FIGS. 13A-13C. The inner spacer 69is formed by conformally forming an insulating layer on etched lateralends of the first and second semiconductor layers 20, 25 and over thesacrificial gate structure 50. The insulating layer includes one or moreof silicon nitride and silicon oxide, SiON, SiOC, SiCN and SiOCN, or anyother suitable dielectric material. The insulating layer of the innerspacer 69 is made of a different material than the sidewall spacers 55.The insulating layer can be formed by ALD or any other suitable methods.After the insulating layer is formed, an etching operation is performedto partially remove the insulating layer, thereby forming inner spacers69, as shown in FIG. 13B. The inner spacer 69 has a thickness in a rangefrom about 1.0 nm to about 10.0 nm. In other embodiments, the innerspacer 69 has a thickness in a range from about 2.0 nm to about 5.0 nm.

As shown in FIGS. 13A-13C, in some embodiments, a liner epitaxial layer70 is also formed on the sidewalls of the inner spacer 69 and therecessed surfaces of the second semiconductor layers 25. The linerepitaxial layer 70 is employed to optimize transistor short channeleffect and performance. The liner epitaxial layer 70 is also formed onthe recessed fin structure 11 at the S/D regions. In some embodiments,the liner epitaxial layer 70 is selectively grown on the semiconductorlayers and includes undoped silicon. In other embodiments, the linerepitaxial layer includes one or more layers of Si, SiP and SiCP. Incertain embodiments, the liner epitaxial layer 70 includes one or morelayers of SiGe and Ge. The thickness of the liner epitaxial layer 70 onthe recessed surface of the first semiconductor layers 20 may be in arange from about 5 nm to about 10 nm. The thickness of the linerepitaxial layer 70 on the recessed surface of the second semiconductorlayers 25 may be in a range from about 1 nm to about 4 nm. The thicknessof the liner epitaxial layer 70 on the recessed surface of the secondsemiconductor layers 25 is about 20% to about 60% of the thickness ofthe liner epitaxial layer 70 on the recessed surface of the firstsemiconductor layers 20.

After the liner epitaxial layer 70 is formed, source/drain (S/D)epitaxial layers 80 are formed, as shown in FIG. 14. The S/D epitaxiallayer 80 includes one or more layers of Si, SiP, SiC and SiCP for ann-channel FET or Si, SiGe, Ge for a p-channel FET. The S/D layers 80 areformed by an epitaxial growth method using CVD, ALD or molecular beamepitaxy (MBE). As shown in FIG. 14, the S/D epitaxial layers grow fromthe liner layers 70 formed on respective surfaces of bottoms 11 of twofin structures. The grown epitaxial layers merge above the isolationinsulating layer and form a void 82 in some embodiments. The S/D layers80 and the liner epitaxial layer 70 collectively form the S/D featuresof the GAA FET device.

Subsequently, a second liner layer 90 is formed and then an interlayerdielectric (ILD) layer 95 is formed, as shown in FIG. 15. The secondliner layer 90 includes a silicon nitride-based material, such as SiN,and functions as a contact etch stop layer in the subsequent etchingoperations. The materials for the ILD layer 95 include compounds thatinclude Si, O, C and/or H, such as silicon oxide, SiCOH and SiOC.Organic materials, such as polymers, may be used for the ILD layer 95.After the ILD layer 95 is formed, a planarization operation, such asCMP, is performed, so that the top portion of the sacrificial gateelectrode layer 54 is exposed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54 andsacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 are removed, thereby exposing thefin structures. The ILD layer 95 protects the S/D structures 80 duringthe removal of the sacrificial gate structures. The sacrificial gatestructures can be removed using plasma dry etching and/or wet etching.When the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54 is polysilicon and the ILDlayer 95 is silicon oxide, a wet etchant such as a TMAH solution can beused to selectively remove the sacrificial gate electrode layer 54. Thesacrificial gate dielectric layer 52 is thereafter removed using plasmadry etching and/or wet etching.

After the sacrificial gate structures are removed, the firstsemiconductor layers 20 in the fin structures are removed, therebyforming semiconductor channel layers of the second semiconductor layers25, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B in which FIG. 17B is thecross-sectional view along the fin structure. This step of removing thefirst semiconductor layers 20 may also be referred to as a wire releasestep or a sheet formation step (e.g. nanosheet formation step). Thefirst semiconductor layers 20 can be removed or etched using an etchantthat can selectively etch the first semiconductor layers 20 relative tothe second semiconductor layers 25. When the first semiconductor layers20 include Ge or SiGe and the second semiconductor layers 25 include Si,the first semiconductor layers 20 can be selectively removed using a wetetchant such as, but not limited to, ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH),tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), ethylenediamine pyrocatechol(EDP), or potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution. On the other hand, whenthe first semiconductor layers 20 include Si and the secondsemiconductor layers 25 include Ge or SiGe, the first semiconductorlayers 20 can be selectively removed using a wet etchant such as, butnot limited to, ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), tetramethylammoniumhydroxide (TMAH), ethylenediamine pyrocatechol (EDP), or potassiumhydroxide (KOH) solution.

In the present embodiment, since the liner epitaxial layer 70 (e.g., Si)is formed, the etching of the first semiconductor layers 20 (e.g., SiGe)stops at the liner epitaxial layer 70. When the first semiconductorlayers 20 include Si, the liner epitaxial layer 70 can include SiGe orGe. Since the etching of the first semiconductor layers 20 stops at theliner epitaxial layer 70, it is possible to prevent the gate electrodeand the S/D epitaxial layer from contacting or bridging. After thesemiconductor channel layers of the second semiconductor layers 25 areformed, a gate dielectric layer 102 is formed around each semiconductorchannel layer 25 and a gate electrode layer 104 is formed on the gatedielectric layer 102, as shown in FIG. 18.

In certain embodiments, the gate dielectric layer 102 includes one ormore layers of a dielectric material, such as silicon oxide, siliconnitride, or high-k dielectric material, other suitable dielectricmaterial, and/or combinations thereof. Examples of high-k dielectricmaterial include HfO₂, HfSiO, HfSiON, HfTaO, HfTiO, HfZrO, zirconiumoxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, hafnium dioxide-alumina(HfO₂—Al₂O₃) alloy, other suitable high-k dielectric materials, and/orcombinations thereof. In some embodiments, the gate dielectric layer 102includes an interfacial layer formed between the channel layers and thedielectric material.

The gate dielectric layer 102 may be formed by CVD, ALD or any suitablemethod. In one embodiment, the gate dielectric layer 102 is formed usinga highly conformal deposition process such as ALD in order to ensure theformation of a gate dielectric layer having a uniform thickness aroundeach channel layers. The thickness of the gate dielectric layer 102 maybe in a range from about 1 nm to about 6 nm in one embodiment.

The gate electrode layer 104 is formed on the gate dielectric layer 102to surround each channel layers. The gate electrode 104 includes one ormore layers of conductive material, such as polysilicon, aluminum,copper, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, tantalumnitride, nickel silicide, cobalt silicide, TiN, WN, TiAl, TiAlN, TaCN,TaC, TaSiN, metal alloys, other suitable materials, and/or combinationsthereof.

The gate electrode layer 104 may be formed by CVD, ALD, electro-plating,or other suitable method. The gate electrode layer is also depositedover the upper surface of the ILD layer 95. The gate dielectric layerand the gate electrode layer formed over the ILD layer 95 are thenplanarized by using, for example, CMP, until the top surface of the ILDlayer 95 is revealed.

After the planarization operation, the gate electrode layer 104 isrecessed and a cap insulating layer 106 is formed over the recessed gateelectrode 104, as shown in FIG. 18. The cap insulating layer includesone or more layers of a silicon nitride-based material, such as SiN. Thecap insulating layer 106 can be formed by depositing an insulatingmaterial followed by a planarization operation.

In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more workfunction adjustment layers (not shown) are interposed between the gatedielectric layer 102 and the gate electrode 104. The work functionadjustment layers are made of a conductive material such as a singlelayer of TiN, TaN, TaAlC, TiC, TaC, Co, Al, TiAl, HfTi, TiSi, TaSi orTiAlC, or a multilayer of two or more of these materials. For then-channel FET, one or more of TaN, TaAlC, TiN, TiC, Co, TiAl, HfTi, TiSiand TaSi is used as the work function adjustment layer, and for thep-channel FET, one or more of TiAlC, Al, TiAl, TaN, TaAlC, TiN, TiC andCo is used as the work function adjustment layer. The work functionadjustment layer may be formed by ALD, PVD, CVD, e-beam evaporation, orother suitable process. Further, the work function adjustment layer maybe formed separately for the n-channel FET and the p-channel FET whichmay use different metal layers.

Subsequently, contact holes 110 are formed in the ILD layer 95 by usingdry etching, as shown in FIG. 19. In some embodiments, the upper portionof the S/D epitaxial layer 80 is etched. A silicide layer 120 is formedover the S/D epitaxial layer 80, as shown in FIG. 20. The silicide layerincludes one or more of WSi, CoSi, NiSi, TiSi, MoSi and TaSi. Then, aconductive material 130 is formed in the contact holes as shown in FIG.21. The conductive material 130 includes one or more of Co, Ni. W, Ti,Ta, Cu, Al, TiN and TaN.

FIGS. 22A-22C show cross sectional views of the structure of FIG. 21.FIG. 22A shows the cross-sectional view cutting the gate structure alongthe Y direction, FIG. 22B shows the cross-sectional view cutting thegate structure along the X direction, and FIG. 22C shows thecross-sectional view cutting the S/D region along the Y direction.

As shown in FIG. 22A, the semiconductor channel layers made of thesecond semiconductor layer 25 are stacked in the Z direction. Thesemiconductor channel layers may also be referred to as a multi-bridgechannel, a plurality of nanoslabs, a plurality of nanosheets, aplurality of wires (e.g. having a round, square, hexagonal, or othercross-sectional shape). It is noted that the second semiconductor layers25 may also be etched when the first semiconductor layer 20 are removed,and thus the corners of the second semiconductor layers 25 are rounded.An interfacial layer 102A wraps around each of the wires, and the gatedielectric layer 102B covers the interfacial layer 102A. Although thegate dielectric layer 120B wrapping around one wire is in contact withthat of the adjacent wire in FIG. 22A, the structure is not limited toFIG. 22A. In other embodiments, the gate electrode 104 also wraps aroundeach of the wires covered by the interfacial layer 102A and the gatedielectric layer 102B.

As shown in FIG. 22B, the liner epitaxial layer 70 is formed between theS/D epitaxial layer 80 and the wires (second semiconductor layers 25).The thickness T1 of the liner epitaxial layer 70 at the portion betweenthe wires is in a range from about 5 nm to about 10 nm, the thickness T2of the recessing of the liner epitaxial layer 70 at the ends of thewires is in a range from about 1 nm to about 4 nm, in some embodiments.The difference T3 of the thickness T1 and the thickness T2 is in a rangefrom about 1 nm to about 9 nm, in some embodiments. The thickness T2 isabout 20% to about 60% of the thickness T1 in certain embodiments and isabout less than 40% in other embodiments.

In the embodiment process shown in FIGS. 1 to 22C, the GAA FET includesthe patterned insulating layer 14′ and the patternedsemiconductor-containing layer 16′ (e.g. SOI substrate). However, inother embodiments, the patterned semiconductor-containing layer 16′(e.g. SOI substrate) may be omitted. In such embodiments, such as in theexample shown in FIGS. 23A to 23C, the resultant GAA FET includes thepatterned insulating layer 14′ but is devoid of the patternedsemiconductor-containing layer 16′ (e.g. SOI substrate). In eitherembodiment, the resultant GAA FET offers several advantages. Forexample, the present disclosure is directed to, but not otherwiselimited to, a multi-gate field effect transistor (FET), an example beinga gate-all-around (GAA) FET. In a GAA FET, multiple semiconductorchannel layers are vertically suspended over an underlying semiconductorsubstrate. A gate structure (including a gate electrode layer and a gatedielectric layer) is formed in the space between vertically adjacentsemiconductor channel layers. Embodiments of the present disclosureprovide for at least one insulating layer that is interposed between thebottommost gate structure and the underlying semiconductor substrate,where the bottommost gate structure is the gate structure in closestproximity to the underlying semiconductor substrate. The presence of theat least one insulating layer between the bottommost gate structure andthe underlying semiconductor substrate reduces leakage current in theGAA FET, minimizes a size of a parasitic PN junction between thesemiconductor substrate and the source/drain regions of the GAA FET, andimproves the I_(ON)/I_(OFF) ratio of the GAA FET. It is understood thatthe GAA FETs undergoes further CMOS processes to form various featuressuch as contacts/vias, interconnect metal layers, dielectric layers,passivation layers, etc.

FIG. 24 shows a method of forming a multi-gate field effect transistorin accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As seen inFIG. 24, the method includes operation 240 of forming an insulatinglayer over a semiconductor substrate and operation 242 of forming asemiconductor-containing substrate over the insulating layer. The methodfurther includes operation 244 of forming a stack of first semiconductorlayers and second semiconductor layers over the semiconductor-containingsubstrate, wherein the first semiconductor layers and the secondsemiconductor layers have different material compositions and alternatewith one another within the stack. Operation 246 of the method shown inFIG. 24 includes patterning the insulating layer, thesemiconductor-containing substrate, and the stack of the firstsemiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers into a finstructure, the fin structure including sacrificial layers including thefirst semiconductor layers and channel layers including the secondsemiconductor layers. The method also includes operation 248 of formingsource/drain features adjacent to the channel layers of the finstructure and operation 250 of removing the sacrificial layers of thefin structure so that the channel layers of the fin structure areexposed. Operation 252 of the method shown in FIG. 24 includes forming agate structure around the exposed channel layers, wherein a bottomsurface of the semiconductor-containing substrate physically contacts atop surface of the insulating layer, and wherein the insulating layerand the semiconductor-containing substrate are interposed between abottommost portion of the gate structure and the semiconductorsubstrate.

In one example aspect, the present disclosure provides a method ofsemiconductor fabrication. The method includes: forming adielectric-containing substrate over a semiconductor substrate; forminga stack of first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layersover the dielectric-containing substrate, wherein the firstsemiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layers have differentmaterial compositions and alternate with one another within the stack;patterning the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductorlayers into a fin structure such that the fin structure includessacrificial layers including the second semiconductor layers and channellayers including the first semiconductor layers; forming source/drainfeatures adjacent to the sacrificial layers and the channel layers;removing the sacrificial layers of the fin structure so that the channellayers of the fin structure are exposed; and forming a gate structurearound the exposed channel layers, wherein the dielectric-containingsubstrate is interposed between the gate structure and the semiconductorsubstrate.

In another example aspect, the present disclosure provides a method ofsemiconductor fabrication. The method includes: forming adielectric-containing substrate over a semiconductor substrate; formingfirst semiconductor layers sandwiching a second semiconductor layer in afirst direction over the semiconductor substrate; patterning the firstsemiconductor layers and the second semiconductor layer into a finstructure such that the fin structure includes sacrificial layersincluding the first semiconductor layers and a channel layer includingthe second semiconductor layer; forming a sacrificial gate structureover the fin structure such that the sacrificial gate structure covers apart of the fin structure while remaining parts of the fin structureremains exposed; removing the remaining parts of the fin structure;forming an inner spacer at least on the recessed surface of thesacrificial layers; forming a source/drain region adjacent to the innerspacer and the channel layer; removing the sacrificial gate structure;removing the sacrificial layers in the fin structure after removing thesacrificial gate structure so that the channel layer is exposed and issuspended over the dielectric-containing substrate; and forming a gatedielectric layer and a gate electrode layer around the exposed channellayer, wherein a bottom surface of the dielectric-containing substratephysically contacts a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, andwherein the gate dielectric layer and the gate electrode layer aredisposed between the dielectric-containing substrate and the channellayer in the first direction.

In another example aspect, the present disclosure provides asemiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: adielectric-containing substrate disposed over a semiconductor substrate;channel layers vertically suspended over the dielectric-containingsubstrate, a bottom-most channel layer being vertically separated fromthe dielectric-containing substrate by a space; a first source/drainregion disposed over the semiconductor substrate and contacting firstends of the channel layers; a second source/drain region disposed overthe semiconductor substrate and contacting second ends of the channellayers; a gate dielectric layer disposed on and wrapping each of thechannel layers; and a gate electrode layer disposed on the gatedielectric layer and wrapping each of the channel layers, wherein thegate dielectric layer and the gate electrode layer wrapping thebottom-most channel layer is located in the space between thedielectric-containing substrate and the bottom-most channel layer, thedielectric-containing substrate physically contacting the semiconductorsubstrate.

The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those ofordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of thepresent disclosure. Those of ordinary skill in the art should appreciatethat they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis fordesigning or modifying other processes and structures for carrying outthe same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of theembodiments introduced herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art shouldalso realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from thespirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may makevarious changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: forming an insulating layerover a semiconductor substrate; forming a semiconductor-containingsubstrate over the insulating layer; forming a stack of firstsemiconductor layers and second semiconductor layers over thesemiconductor-containing substrate, wherein the first semiconductorlayers and the second semiconductor layers have different materialcompositions and alternate with one another within the stack; patterningthe insulating layer, the semiconductor-containing substrate, and thestack of the first semiconductor layers and second semiconductor layersinto a fin structure, the fin structure including sacrificial layersincluding the first semiconductor layers and channel layers includingthe second semiconductor layers; forming source/drain features adjacentto the channel layers of the fin structure; removing the sacrificiallayers of the fin structure so that the channel layers of the finstructure are exposed; and forming a gate structure around the exposedchannel layers, wherein a bottom surface of the semiconductor-containingsubstrate physically contacts a top surface of the insulating layer, andwherein the insulating layer and the semiconductor-containing substrateare interposed between a bottommost portion of the gate structure andthe semiconductor substrate.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereinsemiconductor-containing substrate includes a semiconductor-on-insulator(SOI) substrate.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein a dielectric layer ofthe SOI substrate has a composition that is different from theinsulating layer.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulating layerincludes a material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide,silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbonitride, siliconcarbon nitride, fluorine-doped silicate glass, and combinations thereof.5. The method of claim 1, wherein bottom portions of the source/drainfeatures physically contact sidewalls of the insulating layer and thesemiconductor-containing substrate.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein afirst one of the source/drain features is laterally separated from asecond one of the source/drain features by a separation distance, andwherein a thickness of the semiconductor-containing substrate is in arange from about 0.4 times the separation distance to about 0.6 timesthe separation distance.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein theseparation distance is a gate length of a transistor device includingthe fin structure and the gate structure.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein forming source/drain features adjacent to the channel layers ofthe fin structure includes: forming a sacrificial gate structure overthe fin structure such that the sacrificial gate structure covers afirst part of the fin structure while second parts of the fin structureremain exposed; removing the second parts of the fin structure that arenot covered by the sacrificial gate structure, removing exposingportions of the semiconductor substrate; horizontally recessing thesacrificial layers so that edges of the sacrificial layers are locatedbelow the sacrificial gate structure; forming an inner spacer on therecessed surface of the sacrificial layers; forming a liner epitaxiallayer over the exposed portions of the semiconductor substrate; andforming the source/drain features over the liner epitaxial layer.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the liner epitaxial layer includes undopedsilicon.
 10. A method, comprising: forming a dielectric-containingsubstrate over a semiconductor substrate; forming first semiconductorlayers sandwiching a second semiconductor layer in a first directionover the dielectric-containing substrate; patterning the firstsemiconductor layers, the second semiconductor layer, and thedielectric-containing substrate into a fin structure such that the finstructure includes sacrificial layers including the first semiconductorlayers and a channel layer including the second semiconductor layer;forming a sacrificial gate structure over the fin structure such thatthe sacrificial gate structure covers a part of the fin structure whileremaining parts of the fin structure remains exposed; removing theremaining parts of the fin structure; forming an inner spacer at leaston a recessed surface of the sacrificial layers; forming a source/drainregion adjacent to the inner spacer and the channel layer; removing thesacrificial gate structure; removing the sacrificial layers in the finstructure after removing the sacrificial gate structure so that thechannel layer is exposed and is suspended over the dielectric-containingsubstrate; and forming a gate dielectric layer and a gate electrodelayer around the exposed channel layer, wherein a bottom surface of thedielectric-containing substrate physically contacts a top surface of thesemiconductor substrate, and wherein the gate dielectric layer and thegate electrode layer are disposed between the dielectric-containingsubstrate and the channel layer in the first direction.
 11. The methodof claim 10, wherein the dielectric-containing substrate includes afirst layer and a second layer over the first layer, the first layerphysically contacting the semiconductor substrate, the first layer andthe second layer having different compositions.
 12. The method of claim11, wherein the first layer includes a material selected from the groupconsisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride,silicon oxycarbonitride, silicon carbon nitride, fluorine-doped silicateglass, and combinations thereof.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein thesecond layer includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. 14.The method of claim 11, wherein a thickness of the second layer in thefirst direction is in a range from about 0.4 times a dimension of thegate electrode layer in a second direction to about 0.6 times thedimension of the gate electrode layer in the second direction, thesecond direction being perpendicular to the first direction.
 15. Themethod of claim 11, wherein a thickness of the second layer in the firstdirection is in a range from about 3 nanometers to about 7 nanometers.16. The method of claim 10, wherein the inner spacer includes a materialselected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and silicon oxide,SiION, SiOC, SiCN, SiOCN, and combinations thereof.
 17. A semiconductordevice, comprising: a dielectric-containing substrate disposed over asemiconductor substrate, wherein the dielectric-containing substrateincludes a semiconductor surface; channel layers vertically suspendedover the dielectric-containing substrate, a bottom-most channel layerbeing vertically separated from the dielectric-containing substrate by aspace; a first source/drain region disposed over the semiconductorsubstrate and contacting first ends of the channel layers; a secondsource/drain region disposed over the semiconductor substrate andcontacting second ends of the channel layers; a gate dielectric layerdisposed on and wrapping each of the channel layers; and a gateelectrode layer disposed on the gate dielectric layer and wrapping eachof the channel layers, wherein a portion of the gate dielectric layerand the gate electrode layer wrapping the bottom-most channel layer islocated in the space between the dielectric-containing substrate and thebottom-most channel layer and physically contacts the semiconductorsurface of the dielectric-containing substrate, thedielectric-containing substrate physically contacting the semiconductorsubstrate.
 18. The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein thedielectric-containing substrate includes a first material selected fromthe group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, siliconoxynitride, silicon oxycarbonitride, silicon carbon nitride,fluorine-doped silicate glass, and combinations thereof.
 19. Thesemiconductor device of claim 18, wherein the dielectric-containingsubstrate further includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substratedisposed on and physically contacting the first material.
 20. Thesemiconductor device of claim 17, wherein the channel layers include Sior a Si-based compound.